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BC Learning Solutions Pty. Ltd. Ecg Experience. Creative. Generative.

The Power of the Word

As a leader, you know that the words you use have impact. It’s important to consciously decide WHAT you want that impact to be and choose the word accordingly.


For example, words we hear often in a team environment …

                  Could  Should

  Must  Will

Each word takes the listener’s attention and thinking in a certain direction. Does the word you use match your intention and take the listener in your intended direction?

Scenario

In a team meeting a member may raise an issue. An effective leader will prompt the team member to offer suggestions. Note the effect of changing just one word in each of the prompts:

What COULD be done?
What SHOULD be done?
What MUST be done?
What WILL be done?

What is the effect that each question might have on the team member? How will the team member’s answers differ in response to each question? What additional information is the leader communicating with the choice of each words?

COULD

‘What COULD be done …?’ implies no or few limitations or restrictions. The leader's intention appears to encourage the team member to generate as many different ideas as possible.

SHOULD

‘What SHOULD be done …?’ implies that there is a ‘moral’ or ‘correct’ way of doing something, yet the leader is asking for a suggestion or recommendation (not asking the team member to be responsible for the suggestion).

MUST

‘What MUST be done …?’ implies that there are some essential things that ‘have’ to be done, and is asking the team member to identify the minimum essentials. This is also placing more expectation on the team member that he/she will be part of making those things happen.

WILL

‘What WILL be done …?’ implies that something will be done and the leader is asking the team member what ‘it’ is. In most cases this also implies that it will be the team member DOING the task.

 

      

Questions to consider

When would it be useful and valuable to use the words

Could

Should

Must

Will?

What types of contexts and conversations would benefit from the use of each word?

 

When would it be unhelpful or even destructive to use the words

Could

Should

Must

Will?

How could the inappropriate usage of these words hinder effective communication and cause issues with work relationships?

 

 

 

BC Learning Solutions Pty Ltd GPO Box 1499 Hobart TAS 7001
03 6243 8991 (phone) 03 6243 8997 (fax)
bron@bclearning.com.au

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